Porter Co. Sheriff’s Department Finds Woman with Pipe Bomb in Her Car

September 9, 2017-Porter County Sheriff’s Police are saying that a pipe bomb incident which caused an evacuation today is unrelated to the recent pipe bomb explosion in East Chicago. According to a statement from the Porter County Sheriff’s Police, “On Saturday 9/9/17 at approximately 11:50am, Porter County Sheriff’s Officers were dispatched to a possible vehicle crash in the area of Woodruft Drive and Division Road. Officers arrived on scene, found a female later identified as 32 year old Katrina Franzen, asleep in the driver seat and the damage to the vehicle determined to be old. During the course of their investigation Officers located what was believed to be a pipe bomb in a box on the passenger side floor.”

Police evacuated nearby residents and closed off roads. The Porter County Bomb Squad was called to the scene and “at approximately 1:50pm they had rendered the device safe.” Franzen was arrested and interviewed by Detectives. Charges of Possession of a Destructive Device, a level 5 felony, are pending. “After Franzen was interviewed by Detectives and Bomb Squad technicians, it was determined there was no further threat to the public and although this was a pipe bomb as well, this incident is not related to the recent East Chicago pipe bomb explosion. She advised Detectives the device had been in her car for the past two weeks and she was planning to take it to a friend to make it safe. “

Porter County Sheriff Reynolds thanked the individual who observed the suspicious vehicle and called it in. . “I encourage everyone to call your local police when you observe suspicious activity so it can be immediately investigated” Sheriff Reynolds stated.